Definitive guide: how long should a coffee maker take to brew coffee?

Definitive guide: How long should a coffee maker take to brew coffee?

What does it take to brew coffee?

Coffee brewing is the process during which hot water comes into contact with coffee grounds. That interaction allows for extraction of coffee flavors, oils and other components.

This process cannot (or should not) happen hastily. It may lead to over- or under-extraction of coffee beans, thus yielding improper coffee flavors.

Therefore, the more coffee we want to brew, the more coffee grounds and water we will need, which will consequently create the need for a longer extraction time.

So, let’s see what the usual time a coffee maker should take to brew coffee.

✔️ Time to brew coffee in Keurig (k-cups and k-pods): 2-3 minutes

Keurig utilizes k-cups and coffee pods in coffee brewing. The coffee machines usually brew anywhere between 6 to 10oz of coffee at a time.

In order to yield nice coffee, Keurig should take anywhere between 1 to 3 minutes to brew coffee. This is in addition to the heat-up time for water.

Overall, Keurig machines are popular for fast water heat up, so the entire process should not take more than 4 minutes for some of the largest cups (12oz).

✔️ Time to brew coffee in a drip coffee maker: 5 to 15 minutes

Drip coffee makers require coffee beans to soak in hot water for an extended period of time.

This brewing method also involves brewing larger quantities of coffee at a time. Therefore, the contact time between coffee and water should be longer, usually somewhere around 5 minutes. That said, it can take up to 15 minutes to brew a whole 20 oz carafe of coffee.

✔️ Time to brew coffee in an espresso machine: 20-30 seconds

Espresso machines brew one or two shots of coffee at a time. Each shot should be about 1oz.

Therefore, such a small quantity of coffee does not require significant amount of time. Further, espresso machines use pressure pumps to push hot water through finely ground coffee particles.

The contact time between water and coffee is of about 20-30 seconds in an espresso machine.

✔️ Time to brew coffee in a Nespresso machine: 30 seconds up to 1 minute

Nespresso machines are quite fast. They heat up water in record speed (some as quick as 3 seconds).

Like espresso machines, Nespresso produce small quantities of coffee, typically between 1 to 2oz of coffee at a time.

Therefore, with pressure to speed up coffee extractions, Nespresso machine should take about 30 to 60 seconds to brew coffee.

✔️ Time to brew coffee in a Nespresso machine: 30 seconds up to 1 minute

Nespresso machines are quite fast. They heat up water in record speed (some as quick as 3 seconds).

Like espresso machines, Nespresso produce small quantities of coffee, typically between 1 to 2oz of coffee at a time.

Therefore, with pressure to speed up coffee extractions, Nespresso machine should take about 30 to 60 seconds to brew coffee.

✔️ Time to brew coffee in a percolator: 5 to 10 minutes

Percolators is one of the coffee brewing methods that allow significant ownership and flexibility.

With a much longer or shorter brewing time, coffee will be over- or under-extracted, respectively.

I personally love percolators, because they afford me an opportunity to experiment with different quantities of water and coffee. Thanks to that, I am able to achieve flavors and depths I enjoy.

A stove percolator should take about 5 minutes to brew coffee. On the other hand, an electric percolator should take between 7 to 10 minutes.

Why a coffee maker takes so long to brew coffee

The aim of coffee brewing is to obtain a cup that is tasty and balanced.

In order for extraction to yield deep flavors, water and coffee need time. Just how much time they need depends on the brewing method.

While some coffee machines, like espresso coffee makers and single serve coffee makers, use pressure to quickly push water through the coffee grounds, others require more time for coffee grounds to immerse in water.

However, there is always a possibility that our cup will be either over-extracted or under-extracted. What happens then?

What happens if my coffee maker brews coffee too quickly?

Under-extraction happens when a coffee maker brews coffee too quickly.

In other words, under-extraction occurs when hot water and coffee do not have enough time for proper extraction to occur.

Therefore, a cup of coffee may feel acidic and tasteless, with light colors.

While espresso makers and single serve coffee makers might be able to pull a good cup of coffee in less than 2 minutes, this does not apply to other coffee makers, like drip coffee makers. The latter would need more time for water to soak and infuse the coffee grounds.

Coffee machines are built in such a way as to allow water enough time to properly extract all the necessary flavors.

Something that would lead to under-extraction when it comes to coffee machines, where the brewing time and the water quantity are set automatically, is not using enough coffee grounds.

What happens if my coffee maker brews coffee too long?

OVer-extraction happens when a coffee maker brews coffee for too long.

In other words, over-extraction occurs when hot water and coffee have more than enough time for proper extraction to occur.

Therefore, a cup of coffee may feel bitter and strong, with dark colors.

While over-extraction is rare when we use a coffee machine to which we added the correct amount of coffee, it can happen more often when we use brewing methods like the percolator, or the French press. With those brewing methods, we need to judge how much coffee and water is sufficient.

Examples of coffee makers that brew great coffee

Owly’s conclusion

When it comes to brewing good coffee, you should consider a couple of factors. While technology can speed up the process in some ways, there is not much we can do about the time coffee beans need to extract. Here, we need to allow nature to take its course.

We have discussed what happens when we try to hurry up the coffee extraction process. This will yield a cup of under-extracted coffee with no taste.

We have also discussed what might happen if we allow water to stay in contact with the coffee grounds for too long. This will yield a cup of over-extracted coffee with bitter and unappealing flavor.

A good coffee maker can solve many problems. Many brands design coffee makers that take a proper time to brew coffee. They take into account the optimum water temperature that allows to reach proper extraction.

So no need to panic! Get some good coffee, buy a good coffee machine, and start brewing.

What do you think?

How fast is your coffee machine? Do you care if your coffee maker heats up water quickly? What coffee maker do you recommend for speed and convenience?

Let us know in the comments!